====================
Flowering Potential.
====================
C&C can be sent to cobalt@elhazard.net Flames will be ignored with
extreme prejudice.
Disclaimer: I do not own the series depicted within, but go buy it anyway.
Conventions:
~ ~ are used for thoughts and Telepathic communication.
The series is archived at http://www.lum.co.uk/cobalt/
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Chapter 14
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"Mom you don't have to do this." Sasami complained.
"Nonsense." Her mother told her. "Can't be seen to be ungrateful. Tenchi has put up with
us for three days. I feel a thank you is in order."
"So why are you dosing the food with an aphrodisiac?" Tsunami asked.
"Urk." Misaki quickly brought the bottle upright. She turned to find the image staring at
her with a quizzical look.
"Well?"
"Um...well...ha...ahahaha." Misaki looked rather embarrassed.
Tsunami sighed.
Tenchi came in through the door to the main room.
"Hi, when's..." She trailed off as she saw the three of them. She could feel the eyestrain
starting to bring on a headache.
"Um...never mind." She span and walked out the way she came.
***
"How's it coming?" Minagi asked Washu.
"Almost done." The redhead replied. "Just got to tweak the settings and turn it on."
Minagi paused, and asked the burring question.
"What is it?"
Washu was too enthralled with her work to notice that she had only just asked the question.
"It's a self-contained, artificial quantum singularity cluster generator core."
"Ah." Minagi felt it would be better not to ask any more questions. She might not like the
answers. Unfortunate that she had some of that Washu curiosity.
"Why did you make it?"
Washu finished what she was doing and looked at her.
"I didn't say?"
Minagi shook her head.
"Oh." Washu was dumbfounded. Since when had she been forgetful? "No matter. It's for
Hinase really. Can't have you running low on energy the way you go through your
'pursuits'." The emphasis served to remind Minagi of the dual meaning of the word.
"Um." Minagi looked at the thirty metre high contraption. It would never fit.
Washu seemed to know what was going on in her companion's head.
"Don't worry." She said, smiling that mysterious smile of hers that said 'run now'.
She pressed a button.
A whining groan emanated from the contraption before the central, slightly domed section
began glowing a white blue.
Minagi began drifting back slowly. She could see two, no make that three, globes of light
inside what must have been the central containment core.
The whole structure began shuddering, slightly at first but ever stronger. Sounds, which
could only be described as reversed pings, started. With a loud 'scrunch'-like noise, the thing
collapsed in on itself.
Washu only grinned.
The thing shrank to the height of Washu and then stopped.
"You should have more trust in me."
~ Maybe if you explained things before doing them. ~ Minagi thought. The slight snort of
amusement in her head told her that Ryoko had heard that.
***
"What are you smiling about?" Ayeka asked the ex-pirate across from her.
"Oh, just Minagi having trouble with Washu." Ryoko replied.
At the moment they were politely ignoring one another, mainly due to the presence of
Funaho and Tenchi in the room.
"That was bad for the eyes." Tenchi mumbled as she rubbed her temples. She had not said
a word since she had come back in from the kitchen and sat down.
"What was?" Funaho asked. "Seeing Misaki and Sasami both cooking?"
"And Tsunami."
The mental picture was not easy to visualise.
"I can see why that gave you a headache." Ayeka said.
Tenchi closed her eyes, leaned back and sighed deeply.
~ Why me? ~ She thought the question once again.
Waiting on the other side of her eyelids were three women looking at her intently. Tenchi
quickly did a mental check, yes nothing seemed out of the ordinary (whatever that meant
now) about her and she couldn't feel anything odd.
"What?" She asked.
Ayeka and Ryoko quickly dragged their attention away from her. Funaho simply moved her
gaze.
~ Admiring me again. ~ Tenchi reasoned. ~ I don't think I can live with this. ~
She turned a clinical eye over her guests. Ayeka shuddered slightly as her gaze passed over
her. Ryoko ignored the tingle as she, quite faintly, blushed. Funaho seemed quite
unperturbed by the look, but Tenchi felt the strange excitement that emanated from her as the
gaze travelled across her. She glanced back at Tenchi, letting her know she conceded the
point.
~ Thank you. ~ Tenchi relaxed.
Misaki came in through the door.
"Dinner will be a little late." She announced.
Tenchi, unknowing perhaps, turned to face the Blue-hared Queen with the same clinical eye.
"How long?" She asked, unconsciously examining Misaki.
"It'll be another hour." Misaki was beginning to feel excitingly warm for some reason.
Only Funaho didn't sigh at the news. She was too interested in her Sisters reaction to
Tenchi's gaze.
~ I wonder if she realises? ~ The jet-black-hared woman thought, amused. ~ I doubt it. ~
Kiyone carefully closed the door as she left.
~ It's a start. ~ She conceded.
Mihoshi had not yet been able to bring herself to speak about what was troubling her, and
probably wouldn't remember after crying herself to sleep on her partner and friends shoulder.
On the one hand she was overjoyed, on the other she was petrified at what she had just seen.
~ I thought they said it wouldn't happen. That they couldn't do anything else. ~
Ah well, it might be nothing so she let her usual expression return to her face. Couldn't go
around worrying people now could she?
The slight warm tingle started as she hit the stairs and built before it vanished.
"Hi Kiyone." Tenchi said. "Dinner won't be ready for about an hour."
"OK." She replied, noting (disappointedly?) that Tenchi had returned to rather bland
clothes.
~ I suppose it makes sense. ~ She acknowledged.
"What to do to pass the time?" Funaho wondered aloud.
Tenchi got worried.
~ She's probably going to suggest something involving me and them having fun doing
whatever it is to me. ~ She depressively thought to herself.
Suddenly there was a tingle in the back of her mind. It felt like...crying? It seemed to be
coming from Washu's lab so, quietly standing, she began following the call.
Wandering through the lab is not an idea for the faint of heart or the easily lost. She barely
looked at the various wonders of technology around her as she followed the call to its source,
treading a path that she had travelled only once before. Tenchi's not dumb so when she saw
her destination, she knew who had called her.
It took a few minutes to find the way in and another few minutes to walk to the garden that
the call was emanating from.
"Hello." Tenchi said.
Ryu-Oh was barely a sapling at just over 6 months old, but already the young tree was a
metre high. The tree could talk reasonably well, yet had some problems communicating.
"Who are you?" Ryu-Oh asked.
"I'm Tenchi. Nice to finally get to talk to you. What's the matter?"
"Why would anything be the matter?"
Tenchi smiled slightly. "Don't try that with me. I could feel you crying out all the way to
the house."
"I was trying to contact the Mistress."
"Tsunami? She's around sure. May I ask why?"
~ I wonder if I should tell her? ~ Ryu-Oh thought.
Tenchi's smile increased. "You don't have to if you don't want to."
~ Ryu-Oh: Wha...? ~
"Don't think so loud around me. If you are going to do that focus your thoughts inward."
A few minutes of silence followed.
"Have you made up your mind yet?" Tenchi asked. "I can go get Ayeka if you want."
~ Ryu-Oh: No... I don't want to bother her with my problems. ~
~ Is that reverence I hear? ~ Tenchi wondered.
"As I understand it, you and Ayeka share some sort of bond." She shrugged. "I don't
pretend to understand it. But if that's the way you feel, I'll go see if I can get Tsunami's
attention."
She teleported out, not even making a sound.
***
Appearing in a secluded clearing in the forest around the temple, Tenchi gathered herself.
She had never done this before, and needed a little room to work it out. Then she chastised
herself.
~ I should have gone straight to Funaho. Asked her to contact Tsunami. ~
Hopefully that way wouldn't distract Sasami in her cooking. Tenchi shifted to Funaho.
~ Funaho: I wish you wouldn't do that. ~
"Sorry. Can you tell Tsunami Ryu-Oh is tying to contact her? No I don't know why. And
no I can't tell her personally. She's busy."
~ Funaho: How did you find out? ~
"I could feel the call all the way to the house. Hopefully Ryu-Oh has learnt how to shield
his thoughts. He was thinking so loud I could hear it."
~ Funaho: He? ~ The tree sounded amused.
"What pronoun do you use for trees then?" Tenchi asked, a bit miffed.
~ Funaho: Whichever one you like. ~
"Ryu-Oh sounded male, so 'he' it is. Unless, of course, you know better?"
~ Funaho: Just remember that 'he' is a spaceship. ~
Tenchi groaned.
"Thanks so much. Make me even more confused. At least it would have been easier with
you..." She trailed off as she felt her power build. "Uh oh."
~ Funaho: What is it? ~
That's what Tenchi wanted to know. It didn't feel like a power blast building, it was more
specific. She began shifting into Lighthawk mode, and she couldn't stop it. The symbol of
her power emerged, but she didn't feel like doing anything else in that particular direction.
For some reason she was focusing on Funaho.
"I don't know what's going on, but it has something to do with you." She told the tree.
~ Funaho: Um. Good or bad? ~ The tree was definitely nervous.
"It...kinda feels good." It was definitely something good, that she could tell. She focused
on finding out what it was. "I'm...getting the word 'Restoration' but that's it." It, her power,
was waiting for something.
When it did come, Funaho's voice was trembling.
~ Funaho: R...r...restor...ation? Are you sure? ~
"Yes." It was a rock solid certainty weighing on Tenchi's mind. She paused. "My power
seems to be waiting for something."
There was something of a sigh in Tenchi's mind. Was it regret or excitement?
~ Funaho: I accept. ~
The power flowed through her, infusing her very being. It was as though those words had
opened the floodgates, and Tenchi was being swept away. Her body moved of it's own
accord, walking forward towards the tree with arms outstretched.
~ Funaho: Don't fight it Tenchi. ~ The tree asked.
Her hands touched the trunk, instantly glowing pure white and triggering the rays that the
tree usually used to communicate. The intensity of both rose exponentially, mingling until
anyone looking at them would have been blinded and unable to tell the difference if they
hadn't. There was a brief surge and the light, and all it encapsulated, vanished.
***
Yosho had been sitting in the shrine office, composing himself for the next day. At least his
mother had agreed not to press the issue with Ayeka anymore.
~ Must be where I get my determination from. ~ He idly noted. ~ I would have thought it
was father... ~
Whatever else he thought was swept away as he felt his link with his tree change drastically.
He worried about this until he recognised the feeling coming through it.
Freedom.
The joy of freedom that they had felt when they had first gone out into the void of space
together. And something else... Concern.
~ For who? ~ He wondered and asked.
The reply surprised and delighted him.
~ This is a day to mark. ~ He thought wryly. He quickly reminded his ship to avoid
detection and make its way back.
The teasing affirmative made him chuckle as he stood. The others needed to know. He got
a 'thanks for reminding me' message back after that thought. He decided not to ask.
***
It was comfortable, but something was attempting to grab the attention. It started as a light
touch but the more attention it got, the stronger it got.
Tenchi.
The connections were there. Name. Mine.
Who was calling?
~ Tenchi. ~
A presence?
~ Tenchi. ~
No, a voice. Familiar somehow.
~ Tenchi. ~
The voice was crooning the name. It felt strange for some reason.
~ Tenchi. ~
It was a call, echoing inside the darkness. Who...?
~ Funaho: Tenchi. ~
The voice was inside her mind. She knew who she was. Who the caller was. The caller
seemed to recognise this.
~ Funaho: Wake up Tenchi. ~ Funaho's voice was light and gentle.
Tenchi's eyes slowly opened to a surrounding that seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite
place it. The scene was fully illuminated by sunlight, yet for some reason the sky was dark
and starry.
~ Funaho: Wake up sleepy head. ~ There was a hint of good-natured laughter in the voice.
"Wha...?"
Tenchi didn't know where she was, but it felt safe. The feeling of satisfaction also seemed
to infuse her spirit. She sat up and stretched, finding she was stiff all over.
~ What happened? ~ She thought.
She looked around and saw it. That one unmistakable sight she found always captured her
heart.
Earth. From orbit.
It only took one look at that big blue-green marble and she was lost.
Wait a minute? From orbit? That meant she was spacebound. With Funaho? How?
Funaho watched with amused delight as Tenchi worked her tired mind around the idea. The
sudden brightening of the eyes and gasp told her she had worked it out.
~ Funaho: Nice view. ~ The tree noted.
Hundreds of questions moved across Tenchi's face before she settled on one.
"How long was I out?
~ Funaho: About half an hour. You haven't missed dinner if that's what you're thinking.
Oh, and I've given the Mistress your message. ~ Funaho didn't mention the fact Tsunami
was pleased as punch about what Tenchi had done. She didn't want to spoil the surprise.
"I think we should be getting back." ~ Time to see how far I can teleport. ~ She thought.
~ Funaho: We'll be at the lake in about 10 minutes. Don't think about teleporting yourself
down, you are too tired. ~
Tenchi stifled a yawn. True, she was a bit tired, but she felt up to a short-range teleport. Ah
well, time for the lecture.
***
Ayeka was getting worried. It was almost dinnertime and Tenchi was nowhere to be found.
That simply wasn't like her.
Ryoko had noticed the absence of Tenchi and Ayeka's worried expression and put two and
two together.
"I would have thought Tenchi would be back by now." She said.
"Tenchi will be late." Yosho's voice said.
Funaho sighed.
"I wish you would not do that." She said peevishly.
"She is doing a spot of clearing up after an incident with a tree. Pieces all over the place."
Yosho continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "She will be finished in a few minutes."
With that said he turned and left.
***
Funaho emerged from subspace and quickly switched back to a relatively normal mode back
at the pool she had spent the last 700 years in. The only difference was that the tree's roots
were now only in water, held down by rocks. Tenchi appeared on the stones in front of her.
~ Funaho: Remember, let's keep this a secret between us. ~
"Grandfather has probably already told everybody."
~ Funaho: He hasn't. And don't teleport; walk down to the house. You are in no state to
exercise your powers at the moment. ~
"I felt ok enough to try it from orbit, and I'm stronger now."
~ Funaho: Just trust me, you need to rest that power of yours after all you've done today. ~
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Tenchi muttered as she walked off.
The sun was already beginning to set, and it was dark by the time Tenchi had climbed down
the stairs and walked the distance to the house.
~ Boy, am I tired now. ~ She thought.
"Tenchi, you're late!" Sasami was annoyed. Whether it was an act or not she didn't care to
comment.
"Sorry." She muttered. "I had to clear up the mess I made with a tree."
She slumped down at her place and waited for everyone else to stop staring at her. After a
few minutes of this she raised an eyebrow in askance.
"Well? Are we going to let the food go to waste or what?"
At no response she sighed, shrugged, and began eating.
The other continued to watch the young woman before joining her in the meal.
~ Finally. ~ Tenchi sighed inwardly. The food was doing a world of good for her, though
she was still tired after she finished.
"You were hungry." Misaki noted amusedly.
"I've done a lot today." Tenchi pointed out.
"Oh yes." Washu chuckled. "You put the very fabric of reality through the ringer in the
morning, passed out in exhaustion, recovered in ten minutes, discovered that you could
teleport, were strong enough to continue teleporting through the afternoon and crush a tree by
accident, then you eat a meal as though it was the first one you've had in months. You've
definitely been busy."
"It's not as though it was my fault." Tenchi protested.
She got no sympathy for that comment. Obviously they did consider her current condition
to be her fault. She could hear the comment coming...
"If you had just rested..." The chorus began.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Tenchi grumbled. It was getting to be her favourite saying recently.
She was relieved that the Queens would be leaving tomorrow, as she wasn't entirely sure she
could stand them much longer.
"You should be relaxing in your condition." Sasami said.
"Relaxing? I've heard the word before, but I don't think know what it is." Tenchi scratched
her head. "I could have sworn I knew it last week."
This got her a chorus of dark looks.
"Ah well. Must not have been important. I'm sure it'll come back to me." Tenchi
shrugged. "The meal was lovely, as usual. Thank you Sasami."
The weird sight of Sasami glaring darkly at her whilst smiling brightly at the compliment
greeted her.
"Mom helped to y'know."
"How could I have forgot? Sorry Your Majesty." Tenchi nodded towards the Blue-hared
mother of the princesses.
Misaki's expression just faded into a neutral one. Tenchi was not doing well here.
She sighed. "If you're going to be that way about it..." She said and shifted herself to the
door to her room.
~ If they wouldn't be so damn cold about it. ~ She thought tiredly as she entered the
relative safety of her room.
Downstairs, the rest of them were sitting in silence.
"I don't think that was what you had in mind." Kiyone noted. "I mean, Tenchi was trying
to be more personable."
As they saw the truth in those words a glum atmosphere descended.
"Personally I think you are trying too hard."
"Tenchi's the one who needs to relax." Ryoko pointed out.
"No, you are the ones who need to relax." Kiyone told her. "All you are doing is picking
away at Tenchi's efforts to cope. Is it any wonder that she's a tad short tempered?"
***
"Hi Tsunami." Tenchi yawned as the image appeared. "Have you dealt with Ryu-Oh's
problem yet?"
"Yes. Ryu-Oh is fine now. How about you?"
"About the same as usual, except I'm a bit tired. Come to berate me again?"
"No. They are doing that to themselves at the moment." Tsunami looked a little glum.
"Don't worry. I doubt Sasami will stay downcast for long."
Tsunami looked a little embarrassed. "I... er... wanted to thank you for what you did
today."
"It wasn't me Tsunami." Tenchi told her. "It was my power. It just sort of kicked in."
"What did it feel like?" Tsunami wanted to know.
"I don't know. I don't remember much after the power decided to overwhelm me, just that
it seemed to know what it was doing. Like Funaho seemed to know. I don't care anymore
Tsunami, and after all that's gone on today I need some sleep."
There was a slight twinge of disappointment in the image's features.
"Isn't it a bit early for you to go to bed?"
"No. I need the sleep. Goodnight Tsunami."
The image sighed and drifted over to the tired young lady.
"Goodnight Tenchi." She said quietly and kissed Tenchi on the forehead. At least she had
got that far that Tenchi didn't flinch too severely at the gesture. "I will see you in the
morning."
Tsunami disappeared.
~ They're starting to restrict their efforts. ~ Tenchi thought as she yawned again. Yep, she
definitely needed the sleep.
***
Tokimi was puzzled. The being known as Tenchi had undergone much advancement in
power. Almost too fast for the nature of the being. Also, Tenchi had changed sex. An
unexpected and most unlikely event in itself which, when taken with the development of
Tenchi's power, was out of her experience.
In short, she hadn't got a clue as to what was happening. This scared her, and enthralled her
at the same time. She must have this being for her own, in whatever form.
~ Preferably male. ~ She thought absently. It didn't strike her as odd to think this, but it
would have terrified her to know how far that desire had penetrated into the core of her very
being.
"D3." That soft, haunting voice rang out.
Before her a projection of a head faded into view. It radiated wisdom and power, as well as
great age.
"Yes, Lady Tokimi." D3's voice reverberated through the pocket dimension.
"The being known as Tenchi presents a dilemma. We need information."
"As you will." D3 faded out of sight again.
Tokimi did not know the feelings rising in her, considering them worthless. That may prove
to be her undoing.
***
The hours ticked by, and those downstairs had been watching Friends for most of that time.
Even though she loved the show, Sasmai felt a growing malaise. She tracked the feeling
down to Tsunami, and she didn't like the feeling one bit.
~ Well, it has been a tiring day. ~ She admitted to herself.
Using a technique much too advanced for someone her age, she induced sleep in her self.
She'd found she could do this at anytime, but rarely used it. Now she did, as she needed to
visit a friend.
Tsunami's realm was strange to one who didn't know it. Sasami knew it, as well as its
owner. She was the owner, more or less. However, here the roles were reversed. In her
world, Tsunami was the projection. The image. Here she was the image. Had it not been for
the nature of the being that had assimilated with her, she and Tsunami would never have been
able to touch each other.
~ I'll never get used to this. ~ She thought as she drifted across the still water.
It was dark in this realm, only lit by the glow emanating from the trees. Representations,
she knew, of those trees that still honoured their mother (She always found this intensely
embarrassing for some reason she couldn't place). Here and there, large stones littered the
pool of midnight water.
She drifted to the place where Tsunami usually stood, surveying the cosmos.
She wasn't there.
Unperturbed, the little girl continued to the representation of herself. Or more correctly, the
representation of Tsunami herself. She stopped to think.
~ Now how to go about this? ~
She concentrated and drifted forward again, vanishing into the tree as she did so.
The place she emerged into was, for want of a better term, Tsunami's bedroom. And it was
in a state of disarray.
Clothes, books, furniture. It was all scattered over the floor. The Mistress of the realm was
laid on her bed, teary eyed and sobbing.
"What's up?" Sasami asked.
Gasping in surprise, Tsunami shot to a sitting position. Much as she would have liked to,
Tsunami couldn't block Sasami's access to this realm. It would have been like locking the
door on herself, completely pointless.
"And don't say nothing." Sasami warned her other half darkly.
Tsunami slumped back on her bed.
"Why?" She wailed.
"Why what?" Sasami wanted to know.
"Why won't she let herself accept? It's just waiting for her to take; all she'll ever want. I
just want her to be happy. Why must she hurt herself like that?"
Sasami drifted to the bed.
"Who?"
Tsunami looked about to speak, but the tears welled up and she began crying again. Sasami
put her arms around her older self and tried to soothe the sadness.
"I...just wanted...to...to...thank her." Tsunami cried through her tears. "But...but...I
can't! I can't do it. I won't let myself do it. She wouldn't let me do it. Why?"
Sasami was getting the hint about who Tsunami was talking about.
"I was too embarrassed. I've never been embarrassed before. Why can't I tell her? That I
love her! Almost as much as I love you!"
The future image of Sasami wrapped her arms about the projection of the princess who
would become her, and did a passable imitation of Misaki. In fact, had the Queen been here
to see this, she might have been taking notes on position and approach. It was at times like
this that Sasami found being a projection had its benefits.
"Shhhh..." Sasami calmed the older woman. "It's alright. I don't mind. Don't eat yourself
up inside, my soul-lover. Together we will do just fine."
"You...you think so?" Tsunami asked in a small voice.
"I know so." Sasami told her.
The smile came back to Tsunami's face, lighting up the whole room. But the beautiful
woman Sasami would become hadn't finished yet as she pulled Sasami down for the most
intense, passionate and intimate kiss she could muster. The little girl found she could not
resist it as Tsunami took her into an embrace like she was life itself. She didn't even have
time to think as she was swept up in Tsunami's love.
***
Misaki smiled indulgently.
"Ah, my little girl is asleep."
"And dreaming happy dreams." Ryoko pointed out, noticing the smile on Sasami's lips.
"Then I guess it's time for her to go to bed." Sasami's mother picked her up gently and
walked upstairs.
"To be young again." Kiyone sighed. "Not a care in the world."
"I'd prefer those fun times at the Academy myself." Washu said.
"We have a show to watch." Ayeka reminded them. "Which is the next one?" She asked
Washu.
"Hum... Let's see... After this one we have a half-hour break. Then, on 'till the wee small
hours." She grinned.
Funaho was glad she and her Sister had already packed most of their belongings back on to
their ships. It was going to be a long night.
***
"So, how was it?" Yosho asked. He was stood in front of his tree.
"Exhilarating. It's been over 700 years Yosho, how else do you think it felt?" The beams
radiating from Funaho's leaves were subdued, barely a ray escaped outwards.
"Fine. But be careful. Until I can convince Washu not to tell anyone about your revitalised
status, we have to be cautious about this. How did Tenchi cope with doing this?"
"It wasn't Tenchi, it was her power. Tenchi passed out as it got into things. I had to distract
her from teleporting back down from orbit when she woke up."
"Hum... I may have to take extra measures to prevent her from overexerting herself. Are
you glad you can move around again?"
"Yes. I get the feeling it may prove useful."
"We've been together so long we are thinking alike." Yosho chuckled. "Goodnight
Funaho."
"Goodnight Yosho."
Flowering Potential.
====================
C&C can be sent to cobalt@elhazard.net Flames will be ignored with
extreme prejudice.
Disclaimer: I do not own the series depicted within, but go buy it anyway.
Conventions:
~ ~ are used for thoughts and Telepathic communication.
The series is archived at http://www.lum.co.uk/cobalt/
##########
Chapter 14
##########
"Mom you don't have to do this." Sasami complained.
"Nonsense." Her mother told her. "Can't be seen to be ungrateful. Tenchi has put up with
us for three days. I feel a thank you is in order."
"So why are you dosing the food with an aphrodisiac?" Tsunami asked.
"Urk." Misaki quickly brought the bottle upright. She turned to find the image staring at
her with a quizzical look.
"Well?"
"Um...well...ha...ahahaha." Misaki looked rather embarrassed.
Tsunami sighed.
Tenchi came in through the door to the main room.
"Hi, when's..." She trailed off as she saw the three of them. She could feel the eyestrain
starting to bring on a headache.
"Um...never mind." She span and walked out the way she came.
***
"How's it coming?" Minagi asked Washu.
"Almost done." The redhead replied. "Just got to tweak the settings and turn it on."
Minagi paused, and asked the burring question.
"What is it?"
Washu was too enthralled with her work to notice that she had only just asked the question.
"It's a self-contained, artificial quantum singularity cluster generator core."
"Ah." Minagi felt it would be better not to ask any more questions. She might not like the
answers. Unfortunate that she had some of that Washu curiosity.
"Why did you make it?"
Washu finished what she was doing and looked at her.
"I didn't say?"
Minagi shook her head.
"Oh." Washu was dumbfounded. Since when had she been forgetful? "No matter. It's for
Hinase really. Can't have you running low on energy the way you go through your
'pursuits'." The emphasis served to remind Minagi of the dual meaning of the word.
"Um." Minagi looked at the thirty metre high contraption. It would never fit.
Washu seemed to know what was going on in her companion's head.
"Don't worry." She said, smiling that mysterious smile of hers that said 'run now'.
She pressed a button.
A whining groan emanated from the contraption before the central, slightly domed section
began glowing a white blue.
Minagi began drifting back slowly. She could see two, no make that three, globes of light
inside what must have been the central containment core.
The whole structure began shuddering, slightly at first but ever stronger. Sounds, which
could only be described as reversed pings, started. With a loud 'scrunch'-like noise, the thing
collapsed in on itself.
Washu only grinned.
The thing shrank to the height of Washu and then stopped.
"You should have more trust in me."
~ Maybe if you explained things before doing them. ~ Minagi thought. The slight snort of
amusement in her head told her that Ryoko had heard that.
***
"What are you smiling about?" Ayeka asked the ex-pirate across from her.
"Oh, just Minagi having trouble with Washu." Ryoko replied.
At the moment they were politely ignoring one another, mainly due to the presence of
Funaho and Tenchi in the room.
"That was bad for the eyes." Tenchi mumbled as she rubbed her temples. She had not said
a word since she had come back in from the kitchen and sat down.
"What was?" Funaho asked. "Seeing Misaki and Sasami both cooking?"
"And Tsunami."
The mental picture was not easy to visualise.
"I can see why that gave you a headache." Ayeka said.
Tenchi closed her eyes, leaned back and sighed deeply.
~ Why me? ~ She thought the question once again.
Waiting on the other side of her eyelids were three women looking at her intently. Tenchi
quickly did a mental check, yes nothing seemed out of the ordinary (whatever that meant
now) about her and she couldn't feel anything odd.
"What?" She asked.
Ayeka and Ryoko quickly dragged their attention away from her. Funaho simply moved her
gaze.
~ Admiring me again. ~ Tenchi reasoned. ~ I don't think I can live with this. ~
She turned a clinical eye over her guests. Ayeka shuddered slightly as her gaze passed over
her. Ryoko ignored the tingle as she, quite faintly, blushed. Funaho seemed quite
unperturbed by the look, but Tenchi felt the strange excitement that emanated from her as the
gaze travelled across her. She glanced back at Tenchi, letting her know she conceded the
point.
~ Thank you. ~ Tenchi relaxed.
Misaki came in through the door.
"Dinner will be a little late." She announced.
Tenchi, unknowing perhaps, turned to face the Blue-hared Queen with the same clinical eye.
"How long?" She asked, unconsciously examining Misaki.
"It'll be another hour." Misaki was beginning to feel excitingly warm for some reason.
Only Funaho didn't sigh at the news. She was too interested in her Sisters reaction to
Tenchi's gaze.
~ I wonder if she realises? ~ The jet-black-hared woman thought, amused. ~ I doubt it. ~
Kiyone carefully closed the door as she left.
~ It's a start. ~ She conceded.
Mihoshi had not yet been able to bring herself to speak about what was troubling her, and
probably wouldn't remember after crying herself to sleep on her partner and friends shoulder.
On the one hand she was overjoyed, on the other she was petrified at what she had just seen.
~ I thought they said it wouldn't happen. That they couldn't do anything else. ~
Ah well, it might be nothing so she let her usual expression return to her face. Couldn't go
around worrying people now could she?
The slight warm tingle started as she hit the stairs and built before it vanished.
"Hi Kiyone." Tenchi said. "Dinner won't be ready for about an hour."
"OK." She replied, noting (disappointedly?) that Tenchi had returned to rather bland
clothes.
~ I suppose it makes sense. ~ She acknowledged.
"What to do to pass the time?" Funaho wondered aloud.
Tenchi got worried.
~ She's probably going to suggest something involving me and them having fun doing
whatever it is to me. ~ She depressively thought to herself.
Suddenly there was a tingle in the back of her mind. It felt like...crying? It seemed to be
coming from Washu's lab so, quietly standing, she began following the call.
Wandering through the lab is not an idea for the faint of heart or the easily lost. She barely
looked at the various wonders of technology around her as she followed the call to its source,
treading a path that she had travelled only once before. Tenchi's not dumb so when she saw
her destination, she knew who had called her.
It took a few minutes to find the way in and another few minutes to walk to the garden that
the call was emanating from.
"Hello." Tenchi said.
Ryu-Oh was barely a sapling at just over 6 months old, but already the young tree was a
metre high. The tree could talk reasonably well, yet had some problems communicating.
"Who are you?" Ryu-Oh asked.
"I'm Tenchi. Nice to finally get to talk to you. What's the matter?"
"Why would anything be the matter?"
Tenchi smiled slightly. "Don't try that with me. I could feel you crying out all the way to
the house."
"I was trying to contact the Mistress."
"Tsunami? She's around sure. May I ask why?"
~ I wonder if I should tell her? ~ Ryu-Oh thought.
Tenchi's smile increased. "You don't have to if you don't want to."
~ Ryu-Oh: Wha...? ~
"Don't think so loud around me. If you are going to do that focus your thoughts inward."
A few minutes of silence followed.
"Have you made up your mind yet?" Tenchi asked. "I can go get Ayeka if you want."
~ Ryu-Oh: No... I don't want to bother her with my problems. ~
~ Is that reverence I hear? ~ Tenchi wondered.
"As I understand it, you and Ayeka share some sort of bond." She shrugged. "I don't
pretend to understand it. But if that's the way you feel, I'll go see if I can get Tsunami's
attention."
She teleported out, not even making a sound.
***
Appearing in a secluded clearing in the forest around the temple, Tenchi gathered herself.
She had never done this before, and needed a little room to work it out. Then she chastised
herself.
~ I should have gone straight to Funaho. Asked her to contact Tsunami. ~
Hopefully that way wouldn't distract Sasami in her cooking. Tenchi shifted to Funaho.
~ Funaho: I wish you wouldn't do that. ~
"Sorry. Can you tell Tsunami Ryu-Oh is tying to contact her? No I don't know why. And
no I can't tell her personally. She's busy."
~ Funaho: How did you find out? ~
"I could feel the call all the way to the house. Hopefully Ryu-Oh has learnt how to shield
his thoughts. He was thinking so loud I could hear it."
~ Funaho: He? ~ The tree sounded amused.
"What pronoun do you use for trees then?" Tenchi asked, a bit miffed.
~ Funaho: Whichever one you like. ~
"Ryu-Oh sounded male, so 'he' it is. Unless, of course, you know better?"
~ Funaho: Just remember that 'he' is a spaceship. ~
Tenchi groaned.
"Thanks so much. Make me even more confused. At least it would have been easier with
you..." She trailed off as she felt her power build. "Uh oh."
~ Funaho: What is it? ~
That's what Tenchi wanted to know. It didn't feel like a power blast building, it was more
specific. She began shifting into Lighthawk mode, and she couldn't stop it. The symbol of
her power emerged, but she didn't feel like doing anything else in that particular direction.
For some reason she was focusing on Funaho.
"I don't know what's going on, but it has something to do with you." She told the tree.
~ Funaho: Um. Good or bad? ~ The tree was definitely nervous.
"It...kinda feels good." It was definitely something good, that she could tell. She focused
on finding out what it was. "I'm...getting the word 'Restoration' but that's it." It, her power,
was waiting for something.
When it did come, Funaho's voice was trembling.
~ Funaho: R...r...restor...ation? Are you sure? ~
"Yes." It was a rock solid certainty weighing on Tenchi's mind. She paused. "My power
seems to be waiting for something."
There was something of a sigh in Tenchi's mind. Was it regret or excitement?
~ Funaho: I accept. ~
The power flowed through her, infusing her very being. It was as though those words had
opened the floodgates, and Tenchi was being swept away. Her body moved of it's own
accord, walking forward towards the tree with arms outstretched.
~ Funaho: Don't fight it Tenchi. ~ The tree asked.
Her hands touched the trunk, instantly glowing pure white and triggering the rays that the
tree usually used to communicate. The intensity of both rose exponentially, mingling until
anyone looking at them would have been blinded and unable to tell the difference if they
hadn't. There was a brief surge and the light, and all it encapsulated, vanished.
***
Yosho had been sitting in the shrine office, composing himself for the next day. At least his
mother had agreed not to press the issue with Ayeka anymore.
~ Must be where I get my determination from. ~ He idly noted. ~ I would have thought it
was father... ~
Whatever else he thought was swept away as he felt his link with his tree change drastically.
He worried about this until he recognised the feeling coming through it.
Freedom.
The joy of freedom that they had felt when they had first gone out into the void of space
together. And something else... Concern.
~ For who? ~ He wondered and asked.
The reply surprised and delighted him.
~ This is a day to mark. ~ He thought wryly. He quickly reminded his ship to avoid
detection and make its way back.
The teasing affirmative made him chuckle as he stood. The others needed to know. He got
a 'thanks for reminding me' message back after that thought. He decided not to ask.
***
It was comfortable, but something was attempting to grab the attention. It started as a light
touch but the more attention it got, the stronger it got.
Tenchi.
The connections were there. Name. Mine.
Who was calling?
~ Tenchi. ~
A presence?
~ Tenchi. ~
No, a voice. Familiar somehow.
~ Tenchi. ~
The voice was crooning the name. It felt strange for some reason.
~ Tenchi. ~
It was a call, echoing inside the darkness. Who...?
~ Funaho: Tenchi. ~
The voice was inside her mind. She knew who she was. Who the caller was. The caller
seemed to recognise this.
~ Funaho: Wake up Tenchi. ~ Funaho's voice was light and gentle.
Tenchi's eyes slowly opened to a surrounding that seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite
place it. The scene was fully illuminated by sunlight, yet for some reason the sky was dark
and starry.
~ Funaho: Wake up sleepy head. ~ There was a hint of good-natured laughter in the voice.
"Wha...?"
Tenchi didn't know where she was, but it felt safe. The feeling of satisfaction also seemed
to infuse her spirit. She sat up and stretched, finding she was stiff all over.
~ What happened? ~ She thought.
She looked around and saw it. That one unmistakable sight she found always captured her
heart.
Earth. From orbit.
It only took one look at that big blue-green marble and she was lost.
Wait a minute? From orbit? That meant she was spacebound. With Funaho? How?
Funaho watched with amused delight as Tenchi worked her tired mind around the idea. The
sudden brightening of the eyes and gasp told her she had worked it out.
~ Funaho: Nice view. ~ The tree noted.
Hundreds of questions moved across Tenchi's face before she settled on one.
"How long was I out?
~ Funaho: About half an hour. You haven't missed dinner if that's what you're thinking.
Oh, and I've given the Mistress your message. ~ Funaho didn't mention the fact Tsunami
was pleased as punch about what Tenchi had done. She didn't want to spoil the surprise.
"I think we should be getting back." ~ Time to see how far I can teleport. ~ She thought.
~ Funaho: We'll be at the lake in about 10 minutes. Don't think about teleporting yourself
down, you are too tired. ~
Tenchi stifled a yawn. True, she was a bit tired, but she felt up to a short-range teleport. Ah
well, time for the lecture.
***
Ayeka was getting worried. It was almost dinnertime and Tenchi was nowhere to be found.
That simply wasn't like her.
Ryoko had noticed the absence of Tenchi and Ayeka's worried expression and put two and
two together.
"I would have thought Tenchi would be back by now." She said.
"Tenchi will be late." Yosho's voice said.
Funaho sighed.
"I wish you would not do that." She said peevishly.
"She is doing a spot of clearing up after an incident with a tree. Pieces all over the place."
Yosho continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "She will be finished in a few minutes."
With that said he turned and left.
***
Funaho emerged from subspace and quickly switched back to a relatively normal mode back
at the pool she had spent the last 700 years in. The only difference was that the tree's roots
were now only in water, held down by rocks. Tenchi appeared on the stones in front of her.
~ Funaho: Remember, let's keep this a secret between us. ~
"Grandfather has probably already told everybody."
~ Funaho: He hasn't. And don't teleport; walk down to the house. You are in no state to
exercise your powers at the moment. ~
"I felt ok enough to try it from orbit, and I'm stronger now."
~ Funaho: Just trust me, you need to rest that power of yours after all you've done today. ~
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Tenchi muttered as she walked off.
The sun was already beginning to set, and it was dark by the time Tenchi had climbed down
the stairs and walked the distance to the house.
~ Boy, am I tired now. ~ She thought.
"Tenchi, you're late!" Sasami was annoyed. Whether it was an act or not she didn't care to
comment.
"Sorry." She muttered. "I had to clear up the mess I made with a tree."
She slumped down at her place and waited for everyone else to stop staring at her. After a
few minutes of this she raised an eyebrow in askance.
"Well? Are we going to let the food go to waste or what?"
At no response she sighed, shrugged, and began eating.
The other continued to watch the young woman before joining her in the meal.
~ Finally. ~ Tenchi sighed inwardly. The food was doing a world of good for her, though
she was still tired after she finished.
"You were hungry." Misaki noted amusedly.
"I've done a lot today." Tenchi pointed out.
"Oh yes." Washu chuckled. "You put the very fabric of reality through the ringer in the
morning, passed out in exhaustion, recovered in ten minutes, discovered that you could
teleport, were strong enough to continue teleporting through the afternoon and crush a tree by
accident, then you eat a meal as though it was the first one you've had in months. You've
definitely been busy."
"It's not as though it was my fault." Tenchi protested.
She got no sympathy for that comment. Obviously they did consider her current condition
to be her fault. She could hear the comment coming...
"If you had just rested..." The chorus began.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Tenchi grumbled. It was getting to be her favourite saying recently.
She was relieved that the Queens would be leaving tomorrow, as she wasn't entirely sure she
could stand them much longer.
"You should be relaxing in your condition." Sasami said.
"Relaxing? I've heard the word before, but I don't think know what it is." Tenchi scratched
her head. "I could have sworn I knew it last week."
This got her a chorus of dark looks.
"Ah well. Must not have been important. I'm sure it'll come back to me." Tenchi
shrugged. "The meal was lovely, as usual. Thank you Sasami."
The weird sight of Sasami glaring darkly at her whilst smiling brightly at the compliment
greeted her.
"Mom helped to y'know."
"How could I have forgot? Sorry Your Majesty." Tenchi nodded towards the Blue-hared
mother of the princesses.
Misaki's expression just faded into a neutral one. Tenchi was not doing well here.
She sighed. "If you're going to be that way about it..." She said and shifted herself to the
door to her room.
~ If they wouldn't be so damn cold about it. ~ She thought tiredly as she entered the
relative safety of her room.
Downstairs, the rest of them were sitting in silence.
"I don't think that was what you had in mind." Kiyone noted. "I mean, Tenchi was trying
to be more personable."
As they saw the truth in those words a glum atmosphere descended.
"Personally I think you are trying too hard."
"Tenchi's the one who needs to relax." Ryoko pointed out.
"No, you are the ones who need to relax." Kiyone told her. "All you are doing is picking
away at Tenchi's efforts to cope. Is it any wonder that she's a tad short tempered?"
***
"Hi Tsunami." Tenchi yawned as the image appeared. "Have you dealt with Ryu-Oh's
problem yet?"
"Yes. Ryu-Oh is fine now. How about you?"
"About the same as usual, except I'm a bit tired. Come to berate me again?"
"No. They are doing that to themselves at the moment." Tsunami looked a little glum.
"Don't worry. I doubt Sasami will stay downcast for long."
Tsunami looked a little embarrassed. "I... er... wanted to thank you for what you did
today."
"It wasn't me Tsunami." Tenchi told her. "It was my power. It just sort of kicked in."
"What did it feel like?" Tsunami wanted to know.
"I don't know. I don't remember much after the power decided to overwhelm me, just that
it seemed to know what it was doing. Like Funaho seemed to know. I don't care anymore
Tsunami, and after all that's gone on today I need some sleep."
There was a slight twinge of disappointment in the image's features.
"Isn't it a bit early for you to go to bed?"
"No. I need the sleep. Goodnight Tsunami."
The image sighed and drifted over to the tired young lady.
"Goodnight Tenchi." She said quietly and kissed Tenchi on the forehead. At least she had
got that far that Tenchi didn't flinch too severely at the gesture. "I will see you in the
morning."
Tsunami disappeared.
~ They're starting to restrict their efforts. ~ Tenchi thought as she yawned again. Yep, she
definitely needed the sleep.
***
Tokimi was puzzled. The being known as Tenchi had undergone much advancement in
power. Almost too fast for the nature of the being. Also, Tenchi had changed sex. An
unexpected and most unlikely event in itself which, when taken with the development of
Tenchi's power, was out of her experience.
In short, she hadn't got a clue as to what was happening. This scared her, and enthralled her
at the same time. She must have this being for her own, in whatever form.
~ Preferably male. ~ She thought absently. It didn't strike her as odd to think this, but it
would have terrified her to know how far that desire had penetrated into the core of her very
being.
"D3." That soft, haunting voice rang out.
Before her a projection of a head faded into view. It radiated wisdom and power, as well as
great age.
"Yes, Lady Tokimi." D3's voice reverberated through the pocket dimension.
"The being known as Tenchi presents a dilemma. We need information."
"As you will." D3 faded out of sight again.
Tokimi did not know the feelings rising in her, considering them worthless. That may prove
to be her undoing.
***
The hours ticked by, and those downstairs had been watching Friends for most of that time.
Even though she loved the show, Sasmai felt a growing malaise. She tracked the feeling
down to Tsunami, and she didn't like the feeling one bit.
~ Well, it has been a tiring day. ~ She admitted to herself.
Using a technique much too advanced for someone her age, she induced sleep in her self.
She'd found she could do this at anytime, but rarely used it. Now she did, as she needed to
visit a friend.
Tsunami's realm was strange to one who didn't know it. Sasami knew it, as well as its
owner. She was the owner, more or less. However, here the roles were reversed. In her
world, Tsunami was the projection. The image. Here she was the image. Had it not been for
the nature of the being that had assimilated with her, she and Tsunami would never have been
able to touch each other.
~ I'll never get used to this. ~ She thought as she drifted across the still water.
It was dark in this realm, only lit by the glow emanating from the trees. Representations,
she knew, of those trees that still honoured their mother (She always found this intensely
embarrassing for some reason she couldn't place). Here and there, large stones littered the
pool of midnight water.
She drifted to the place where Tsunami usually stood, surveying the cosmos.
She wasn't there.
Unperturbed, the little girl continued to the representation of herself. Or more correctly, the
representation of Tsunami herself. She stopped to think.
~ Now how to go about this? ~
She concentrated and drifted forward again, vanishing into the tree as she did so.
The place she emerged into was, for want of a better term, Tsunami's bedroom. And it was
in a state of disarray.
Clothes, books, furniture. It was all scattered over the floor. The Mistress of the realm was
laid on her bed, teary eyed and sobbing.
"What's up?" Sasami asked.
Gasping in surprise, Tsunami shot to a sitting position. Much as she would have liked to,
Tsunami couldn't block Sasami's access to this realm. It would have been like locking the
door on herself, completely pointless.
"And don't say nothing." Sasami warned her other half darkly.
Tsunami slumped back on her bed.
"Why?" She wailed.
"Why what?" Sasami wanted to know.
"Why won't she let herself accept? It's just waiting for her to take; all she'll ever want. I
just want her to be happy. Why must she hurt herself like that?"
Sasami drifted to the bed.
"Who?"
Tsunami looked about to speak, but the tears welled up and she began crying again. Sasami
put her arms around her older self and tried to soothe the sadness.
"I...just wanted...to...to...thank her." Tsunami cried through her tears. "But...but...I
can't! I can't do it. I won't let myself do it. She wouldn't let me do it. Why?"
Sasami was getting the hint about who Tsunami was talking about.
"I was too embarrassed. I've never been embarrassed before. Why can't I tell her? That I
love her! Almost as much as I love you!"
The future image of Sasami wrapped her arms about the projection of the princess who
would become her, and did a passable imitation of Misaki. In fact, had the Queen been here
to see this, she might have been taking notes on position and approach. It was at times like
this that Sasami found being a projection had its benefits.
"Shhhh..." Sasami calmed the older woman. "It's alright. I don't mind. Don't eat yourself
up inside, my soul-lover. Together we will do just fine."
"You...you think so?" Tsunami asked in a small voice.
"I know so." Sasami told her.
The smile came back to Tsunami's face, lighting up the whole room. But the beautiful
woman Sasami would become hadn't finished yet as she pulled Sasami down for the most
intense, passionate and intimate kiss she could muster. The little girl found she could not
resist it as Tsunami took her into an embrace like she was life itself. She didn't even have
time to think as she was swept up in Tsunami's love.
***
Misaki smiled indulgently.
"Ah, my little girl is asleep."
"And dreaming happy dreams." Ryoko pointed out, noticing the smile on Sasami's lips.
"Then I guess it's time for her to go to bed." Sasami's mother picked her up gently and
walked upstairs.
"To be young again." Kiyone sighed. "Not a care in the world."
"I'd prefer those fun times at the Academy myself." Washu said.
"We have a show to watch." Ayeka reminded them. "Which is the next one?" She asked
Washu.
"Hum... Let's see... After this one we have a half-hour break. Then, on 'till the wee small
hours." She grinned.
Funaho was glad she and her Sister had already packed most of their belongings back on to
their ships. It was going to be a long night.
***
"So, how was it?" Yosho asked. He was stood in front of his tree.
"Exhilarating. It's been over 700 years Yosho, how else do you think it felt?" The beams
radiating from Funaho's leaves were subdued, barely a ray escaped outwards.
"Fine. But be careful. Until I can convince Washu not to tell anyone about your revitalised
status, we have to be cautious about this. How did Tenchi cope with doing this?"
"It wasn't Tenchi, it was her power. Tenchi passed out as it got into things. I had to distract
her from teleporting back down from orbit when she woke up."
"Hum... I may have to take extra measures to prevent her from overexerting herself. Are
you glad you can move around again?"
"Yes. I get the feeling it may prove useful."
"We've been together so long we are thinking alike." Yosho chuckled. "Goodnight
Funaho."
"Goodnight Yosho."